J. Wassermen Draft Update/Prediction Re Oscar
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If you believe Oscar is a locker room issue, the last place you would want to bring him back around is a bunch of young players. He definitely should stay in Draft. I'm one who wants him to go Pro because from what I was told that's what he's wanted to do all along. He's accomplished everything he can in CBB individually and he's not the sole reason the team didn't succeed in Postseason. That said, the last thing I want for a new team in '24 is a guy who is being told to return for financial reasons and doesn't want to play or be there. I've never heard of Oscar as a bad locker room guy but I do know that never works in any business/organization/team. People have to want to be there and accomplish something, not told to return to get highest payday and because you are "familiar, it'll be fine".
Calipari backed up his words initially and came up short. I mean '11-'15 Kentucky had a chance to add to the titles. '17 is only other year that I felt they were in the mix to legitimately win the National Championship afterwards. That said if you took Cal from '10-'17--think most fans would say "he did a great job and thanks for the memories". Cal got lazy with staff replacements and hires and that haunts you. Recruiting slips...results will follow in decline. Chasing UCLA (Jim Mora Voice)? He needs to chase Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, etc...before worrying about UCLA's historical numbers right now.
Your job as a HC is to tell the player what is best for him. Loyalty is to those who play for you. Everyone hears of when he tells someone to leave but they don't know of times he's said "You should stay" and a guy doesn't listen. People assume everyone listens to what they are told and specifically with coaching. I always tell parents who ask me questions why we didn't do something or did something they questioned--"Does your kid listen to everything you tell him to do? 100% of the time the response is "no". Well why would he listen to us then? They quickly go silent.
He knows far more about the players/families then we do. He's going to know who he has to look for their best interest financially and who can actually just go through/enjoy the process. Your success in recruiting often hurts you when it's Draft time--but fans are fine as long as the product on the court is sustaining championships/contending legitimately (SEC/SEC Tournaments, Final Fours). What's happened is when you get posers who don't know how to do the job and you hire them....they get you delusional or inept people who think just coming to Lexington equates to being an NBA player or prospect. That's happened far too often recently. Nobody on Earth told EJ Montgomery to enter the Draft. Not one person. He left. I'd argue he shouldn't have been at UK anyways. Ashton Hagans is another. Fans get upset what is said publicly when he's supporting guys-but that's not always what he agrees with in terms of their decision, but what you are going to do? Dump on them?
Know many will disagree but I feel his biggest mistake is in listening to the need to get older vets and from bum ass programs who have never won anything of relevance. That set the program back. You take an "All SEC guard" and someone has to put up numbers on a shit team in Athens but was he a winning player? Really a great player? Fredrick was always injured. We all discussed this in a thread. What did he do? Got injured all the time. That's on program. Grady was MIA in games outside of Rupp-but he wanted the platform--got it and crapped the bed. Mintz/Sarr? Programs they left have improved upon their departure. Toppin had talent but Rhode Island was/is a bad program. At some point....you need winning players. Darius Miller being at UK in '10 and '11 factored into his '12 season. Experience matters little to me unless you have performed and in programs that have a winning culture and success. Like Wheeler, crap awful teams need people to do something...so he did. Great...and he's at a bum ass program in Seattle now too. They suck. Mike Hopkins still being employed is one of CBB's mysteries. So UK could've cut out the middle man and been fine.
But back to my #1 issue right now. It's frustrating now. It'll be infuriating if all these guys wait until May 31st. Nobody is that coveted to even hold the program up. Program is not in a place where there would be some surge of excitement either. It's at a point of "Win some ****ing games and Contend or GTFOH", not "This is the start of the.....". Read the room. Another hint for Cal-that means don't think you can sell Bruiser Flint off in anything other than some non important administrative BS role. He's a clown.
Most Mock Drafts are omitting the picks that were forfeited and still slotting the teams as usual. So him at 60 doesn't mean they were placing any players at the other spots which were forfeited.
Bradshaw seems to be the locker room issue waiting to happen.Didn't want another big who can hit 3's on the roster and is getting his way.Players first.
Just like Livingston being the 3 all season last year when it didn't fit.Next season is shaping up a nightmare.
Bradshaw is well liked by peers and never heard he was a bad teammate at all.
Where was it said he didn't want to play with other players who can shoot/make 3's?
This would've been an NIT team if Livingston didn't play this year. He was the least of the program's problems this past year.
Pilgrim said he was leaving if they got Hunter because he wanted to be only outside big.
To be fair financial reasons are the only thing that matters. If he’s told he could make another $3 million to return, then he should and I’m sure he’d want to as well. I don’t believe Oscar has a problem returning. To be able to have 7 or 8 million dollars before you even play in the NBA is life changing, considering he may never make it.
Pilgrim says a lot of stuff. It's his job. Doesn't mean he's correct.
Maybe.But it's obvious he was promised the 4 and that hurts the team next season.
So you equate everything with PPG but not contribution to a team? Got it. Then he's of no use for this year and you shouldn't give a shit if he stays/goes right?
I blame it mostly on Cal.He was played out of position even though it was at Chris's request and really didn't live up to his high school ranking.I'm tired of self centered players who don't give a shit about winning and just want to run to the NBA even when it's obvious they aren't ready.It's one thing to give in to guys like Wall and Fox who are worth it but to baby guys like Chris who stay one year and don't do shit is getting old.I would like to see UK put first again but yes it isn't happening until Cal is gone.
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Oscar won't be making the $ he did last year for several reasons. This is projected by people who base everything off what they hear publicly and think it automatically would remain the same.
Could you imagine the numbers ulis wouldve finished with had he stayed all 4 years. Legit chance to finish as all time leader in 2 or 3 categories
Players drafted after about pick 40 are better off undrafted so they can try out for team that specifically needs their niche.
Oscar’s NBA potential hinges on getting started with the right team/fit.
The Austin Reaves story is one of the most interesting draft stories in recent years. (It’s a good read.) Agents hid him from getting drafted, and he’s getting ready to get a good pay day this summer. (I think Livingston's camp may be sandbagging for same reasons.)
I hope the best for Oscar and Chris if they do not return.
Oscar’s NBA potential hinges on getting started with the right team/fit.
The Austin Reaves story is one of the most interesting draft stories in recent years. (It’s a good read.) Agents hid him from getting drafted, and he’s getting ready to get a good pay day this summer. (I think Livingston's camp may be sandbagging for same reasons.)
I hope the best for Oscar and Chris if they do not return.
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Well yeah, if he is the 60th pick in the projections, it's very likely he won’t get picked at all, then what does he have? Nothing and he won’t have the option of returning to school.
The way I look at it, he could come back to UK, make a couple million bucks, then try his hand at the NBA again. His draft projection can't get much worse.
He needs to improve lateral movement and yes, his shooting, but that doesn't mean he has to shoot threes in UK's games, he just has to shoot them well in his NBA workouts.
KAT didn't shoot threes at UK either.
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